Ya See We Want An Evolution! (Japanese: 最強のコイキングと最も美しいヒンバス！The Strongest Koiking and the Most Beautiful Hinbass!) is the 21st episode of the Diamond & Pearl series, and the 487th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on March 1, 2007 and in the United States on July 10, 2007.

Contents

Synopsis

The episode opens with Team Rocket hiking along a route, nearly exhausted. A Magikarp lands in James's hands as they run into a man advertising a Magikarp. Team Rocket recognizes him as the same salesman that conned themmany times before, James promptly tossing the Magikarp in his face. They try to get their money back, but the salesman manages to change the subject, discussing an evolution-inducing machine. He tells them about a company that developed the prototype machine, but the company went bankrupt. The workers developed the technology more so the salesman can get one. Team Rocket decides to take the plans for building the machine. Before he runs off, the salesman warns them that after they build it, they need to wait a week before using the machine

Meanwhile, Ash and his friends return to Jubilife City in order to reach Floaroma Town. While walking, a TV crew from the Jubilife Sinnoh Today Show asks Ash if he would evolve his Pikachu, which his response is no. They believe he is with the B-Button League. When Dawn asks about the club, the reporter explains that they are a group of Coordinators in Jubilife that compete without evolving their Pokémon and that the group has a very powerful Magikarp and Feebas. Ash and his friends head to the location and meet the leader Haley and her sister Oralie. Brock’s usual attraction is stopped by Croagunk's jab.

Inside, they approach a pool as Haley activates a remote, raising the pool and showing their Magikarp and Feebas. While Ash and Dawn check their Pokédexes, Haley and Oralie discuss their beliefs that Pokémon can be strong without evolving, desiring to make their Magikarp and Feebas as strong as possible, similar to Ash and Pikachu. Ash asks for a battle against Magikarp, but Dawn manages to go first, wanting to test Piplup’s battle skill in water. A disguised Team Rocket shows up as a fake C-button league. They put up a guise of wanting to research the group.

Piplup jumps into the pool as Oralie's Magikarp prepares to duel. Piplup uses Peck but Magikarp dodges underwater. Both swim strong underwater, but Magikarp easily dodges Piplup’s attack and jumps out of the water. Piplup fires BubbleBeam to the surface as Magikarp swats it away and dives down, tackling Piplup and slamming it around the pool walls before sending it into the ceiling. It lands in the water and floats to the surface, knocked out. Though stunned at how powerful Magikarp is, Ash still wants to take his chance against Magikarp with Pikachu.

Pikachu fires Thunderbolt, but Magikarp jumps into the air and spins to dodge. It comes down with Tackle, and although Pikachu tries to dodge, Magikarp still hits, slamming Pikachu into the edge of the pool. Pikachu clings onto the edge before retaliating with Quick Attack. Magikarp meets it head on with Tackle, but Pikachu switches to Iron Tail. Both attacks hit and create an explosion, tossing both Pokémon into the pool. Pikachu gets back onto the island and Magikarp resurfaces, both exhausted.

After the battle, Haley and Oralie offer Ash and his friends lunch. As they turn to offer the C-button league, they spot Team Rocket stealing Magikarp and Feebas. Team Rocket removes their disguises and recites their motto. As Team Rocket flees, the group follows. Brock vows to help, but Croagunk jabs him cold, which causes Dawn to scold the Pokémon for behaving rashly. The group follows Team Rocket’s balloon outside as Ash sends Staravia to pursue. They wind up outside the city as Staravia leads the group to a small cabin along a river.

Inside, they find Team Rocket with their evolution-inducing machine, preparing to put Magikarp inside. Haley and Oralie protest the evolution, which would undo their training efforts. Ash has Pikachu attempt Thunderbolt, but Team Rocket captures Pikachu in a capsule, wanting to evolve Pikachu as well. They drop a cage on top of Ash and his friends, pinning them as they activate the machine. They try to evolve Magikarp into Gyarados, but Magikarp pops out unchanged. They try the process again, but it also fails. Team Rocket switches gears and tries to evolve Pikachu into Raichu, but it also fails. Meowth realizes that the salesman's warning about waiting a week was accurate because otherwise the machine would fail.

While Team Rocket argues, Ash orders Pikachu to use Iron Tail to break the cage. Meowth activates a switch to turn the machine into a mecha, destroying the cabin and unveiling the mecha. However, the machine implodes into dust, as it needs to execute a successful evolution. Haley and Oralie decide to exact retribution with Magikarp’s Tackle and Feebas’s Ice Beam, Pikachu finishing with Thunderbolt to send them blasting off. Afterward, Ash and his friends return to the city and head off to Floaroma Town.

Pokémon

Trivia

The B-Button League is a reference to the games where the B button is used to cancel evolution.

The title card is read by Jessie, James and Meowth, and, in the dub, sung to the tune of The Beatles' Revolution (as well as the slower version of the song, Revolution 1), which the episode title references. Jessie sings the title solo in the European Portuguese dub.

The educational magazine James subscribed to as a child, 実験と自習 Experimentation and Self-Study, is a parody of the magazine 科学と学習 Science and Education.

The remote control for the evolution machine looks similar to a Wii Remote, and even has the wrist strap. Also, when Meowth presses the button on the remote to transform the machine into the robot, just after the click, he says "Wii" or "whee".

Team Rocket trying to use a machine that induces evolution, and the fact they try to use it on a Magikarp to evolve it into a Gyarados, could be a reference to the Pokémon Gold and Silver games, where Team Rocket used a machine at Lake of Rage to try and force Magikarp to evolve into Gyarados.

This episode is also similar to Talkin' 'Bout an Evolution where an evolution inducing machine was also used. The title of this episode is also similar to that of said previous episode.

Piplup's crown is white instead of blue.

When James buys the evolution machine, he shows actual money, which is a rare occasion. (Usually money is only referred to in speech in the anime, but not shown.)

Strangely this episode was not included in the Japanese rental DVDs.

Errors

When Team Rocket is waving goodbye to the Magikarp Salesman, James' black shirt is white.

When Magikarp uses Tackle on Piplup, Piplup's crown above its beak is white.

After Dawn lets Piplup out of its Poké Ball, Team Rocket, dressed up as the C-Button League appears, and Piplup disappears. It reappears in the next scene.